Child aids for lavatories and the like



D. E. NAUMANN 3,311,190

CHILD AIDS FOR LAVATORIES AND THE LIKE March 28, 1967 Filed July 21, 1965 INVENTOR. D005; 4; 5 A/fluMaA/A/ United States Patent 3,311,190 CHILD AIDS FOR LAVATORIES AND THE LIKE Douglas E. Naumann, 131 W. Broadway, Medina, Ohio 44256 Filed July 21, 1965, Ser. No. 473,586 6 Claims. (Cl. 182-129) This invention relates to a novel appurtenance, particularly of or for cabinet or vanity type lavatories or wash stands (also applicable to kitchen sinks) for enabling children of various ages effectually to reach and operate the necessary flow-control valve handles, drain plugs or manipulators therefor, and to have convenient access to soap receptacles, tooth brushes etc. Small children, when standing on a bathroom floor, for example, are frequently unable to reach the flow-controls etc. mentioned above. Various aids have been proposed (in prior patents) as solutions to the problem just above outlined or indicated; but, so far as I can find, none appear to have been made available to the public at least in adequate quantity to satisfy the rather important and obviously present need. The present subject invention is believed to offer a more practical solution than heretofore suggested, and one that is or can be economically adapted to all modern lavatory etc. installations, being stable and otherwise safe in operation, easy for small children of various heights to use effectually, unassisted by adults, and capable of being easily and quickly stored by the children in fully protected generally concealed and out-of-the-way position after each use by them.

Objects and the principal novel features of the invention not indicated by the above outline or partial explanation will become apparent from the following description of the invention in one (exemplary) form. The essential characteristics are summarized in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

FIG. 1 is a side view of a lavatory cabinet of the above-mentioned type, showing by dot-and-dash lines the present embodiment of the invention when in use; and, principally by dotted lines, the stored position thereof.

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan View showing the same embodiment as it would be viewed in stored position generally along the indicating line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective, fragmentary, exploded view of said embodiment in operating position, this view alone showing a presently-preferred guide assembly for a drawer or base portionto be described later-which guide assembly is purposely omitted from FIGS. 1 and 2 in order to avoid obscurement of other features shown in those views.

The invention, as illustrated, comprises, generally a base portion shown in the form of a drawer D of suitable construction in and normally behind the usual foot space FS of cabinet C; a rigid step unit S, having (as shown for example) two steps s and s (especially surfaced for slip-prevention if desired), and, upwardly converging, supporting side rail members or supports R and R for the steps; strut or prop members T and T for the step unit S and suitable pivotal connections (apparent from the drawing but indicated later) between the members R, R and T, T respectively, such that the step unit S, when in working position, can be stably supported in the drawer or base in the fully-pulled-out position of the drawer or base (left FIG. 1), and, in the stored position (same view), can be folded into the drawer or base for insertion into the drawer space D, FIG. 2, of the cabinet. The cabinet C and its usual or desirable appurtenances (being shown for illustration or example only and being well known in many forms,

hence being self explanatory in the drawing) will not be unnecessarily described in detail herein. However, as shown by P16. 2, the normally unused or wasted drawer space D of the cabinet may, by appropriate design or reconstruction if necessary, be defined by front wall members; parallel side wall members 2, and a back wall member 3. Alternatively, the space D may be at least partially defined by parallel horizontal sills or beams (not shown herein but of well known construction) which, in some known forms of lavatory cabinets, rest on (e.g.) the bathroom floor surface F and provide an equivalent of foot space PS at the front of the cabinet and supports for guide rail assemblies of the drawer (see FIG. 3), without special enclosure either at the front or back of the cabinet.

The drawer or base D can be of conventional construction, having a front panel 5, with a suitable drawer pull 5; parallel upright side wall 6; a bottom wall 7, and an upright back wall 8, all suitable joined rigidly together assuming the drawer is of wooden or similar construction. Front wall 5 laterally overlaps drawer space D; and forms an abutment for the stair or stepsupporting rails R and R while resting on drawer bottom 7, so that the step unit S, constrained by the struts T and T (which are pivotally attached to the drawer D as by pivot pins or bolts 19 and similarly, or by equivalent means, are connected to the rails R and R, as at 11), from tilting or swinging further forwardly than as shown in FIG. 3, thereby fully insuring stability of the step assembly S in its working position, assuming the pulled-out drawer D cannot move forwardly. Stability is further insured by the fact that, when the child is standing on an appropriate one of the steps s or s and is using the lavatory, the normal horizontal reactions to child-produced forces in respect to the assembly ST etc. are forwardly of the cabinet. Any suitable m0ve ment-lirniting or stop means (one described below) can be provided to prevent complete disengagement of the drawer or base and the cabinet.

The preferred general shape of the step unit S (as viewed for example in FIG. 2) is trapezoidal for inherent strength (non-weaving). Thus the step unit has rigidly interconnected, leftwardly convergent rails R and R as shown in FIG. 2; and the struts T and T, which preferably overlap the rails close thereto or as illustrated, are similarly in leftwardly convergent relationship as shown in FIG. 2. Further important stability and flexibility is lent to the strut and step unit construction or assembly by provision of an adequately stiff, weave-resisting, panel member 12, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as bridging and securing together the struts T and T for unitary movement fore and aft of the entire step and strut assembly. The panel 12 or its equivalent would be secured to each strut member at at least two points (e.g., by a total of four or more screws or the like).

While, for practical purposes, the drawer or base D would not (if it were simply a conventional drawer for use by adults) require guidance means for effectual manipulation, an important advantage, particularly for use by children, is gained by provision of roller and channel guides (such as are common in ofiice filing cabinets). One suitable form of guide means is partially but essentially illustrated in FIG. 3. As there shown, channels 15 (one shown) fixedly secured to the drawer or base D on its side walls 6 have (preferably antifrictionally supported), e.g., nylon, rollers 16 with ball bearings, not shown, at their rearward ends normally underhanging the channels 15. A cooperating unitary channel assembly 17, as partially shown, composes a pair of channels 18; a rearwardly disposed transverse connecting piece 19 for the channels and attaching-flange members 20, each (e.g.) supporting a roller 21. That or a similar arrangement enables antifrictional support of the drawer or base by appropriate portions of the cabinet C. Each pair of rollers 16 traverse the respective channels 18, in vertical general confinement thereby; and, similarly, the pair of rollers 21 (one shown), mounted on the channels 18, traverse the channels 15.

One form of stop means to prevent detachment of the drawer or base D from its slidable mounting assembly is suggested at 22, FIG. 3, the stops being located to abut respective rollers 16 when the drawer or base D has been pulled out, as to its leftwardly-indicated working position in FIG. 1.

An important feature of the above described arrangement is the provision of means to prevent the weight of a child standing on the steps 5 or s from unduly straining the elements of the sliding guide and limit-stop assembly (or its equivalent) when the present subject invention is in use while at the same time cooperating in preventing in or out or sideward movement of the step assembly. This feature comprises, as shown, provision of suitably selected (e.g. friction material) foot members 24 (one or more) on the under side of drawer D (as on its bottom wall 7 for example, as positionally-indicated in FIG. 2). Through the use of appropriate design the foot members, under the guiding influence of channels 15 and 18 and their associated rollers, would not tend to scuff or scar the floor surface F; but, when the weight of a child standing on the steps s or s is applied, the normal working clearance between the rollers and guide channels is taken up and suflicient friction is then exerted between the feet 24 and the floor surface F to prevent all possible movement of the drawer D, hence the steps s and s, such as might otherwise possibly endanger the child or at least make the above described support seem insecure to the child.

It will be evident that the rails R and R of step unit S could, by appropriate redesign and/ or reproportioning, be fixedly pivoted to the drawer D; be pivotally articulated with the struts T and T (about as shown); and that (in such case) the lower ends of the struts T and T would erely abut the walls 7 and 8 of the drawer or base D in the working position of the steps, and would not be otherwise attached to the drawer or base. Also it will be evident that most of the essential purposes of the present subject invention would be served by disposition of the step assembly S, T, T at right angles, horizontally, to the arrangement herein shown or described in relation to drawer or base D. Other such (non-illustrated) modifications of design are deemed to be within the scope or spirit of the present subject invention.

I claim:

1. An adjunct for cabinet type lavatories or the like, wherein a generally horizontally movable drawer or base in the cabinet contains a step device enabling access to necessary parts etc. by children too short normally to reach them, and wherein the step device includes a stepsupport member or assembly and, pivotally articulated therewith on a horizontal axis, a strut member or assembly, one of the members or assemblies being fixedly pivotally attached to the drawer or base adjacent a back 0 portion thereof and the other member or assembly being proportioned detachably to abut a front wall portion of the drawer or base incident to being subjected to vertically applied forces on the device when erected for use as described, the step device being thereby arranged to be folded into a stowed-away position for storage within the cabinet.

2. An adjunct for cabinet type lavatories or the like, wherein a generally horizontally movable drawer or base in the cabinet and having generally upright mutually rigid, wall portions contains a step device enabling access to lavatory working parts or accessories by children too short normally to reach them, and wherein the step device includes a step-support member or assembly and, pivotally articulated therewith on a horizontal axis disposed at the top of the step device, a strut member or assembly, one member or assembly being pivotally attached to the drawer or base and the other member or assembly being proportioned detachably to abut a wall portion of the drawer or base incident to being subjected to vertically applied forces on the device when erected for use as described, the device being thereby arranged to be folded into a stored or stowed-away position within the drawer or base such as to enable the latter to be slid to storage position within the cabinet.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the step-support member has, in erected position, two upwardly convergent side rails rigid with at least two steps at different elevations, and the strut member or assembly includes two struts lying respectively in outwardly overlapping relation to the side rails in the stowed-away position of the step device.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the struts are interconnected by a weave-resisting structure secured to each strut member at at least two spaced points therealong.

5. A child-assisting adjunct for cabinet-type lavatories or the like, said adjunct comprising a horizon-tally movable supporting base and horizontal guide means therefor permitting movement of the base between a position underlying such lavatory or the like and a position forwardly of it along an associated floor surface, step means secured to the base and manipulatable from a storage position to a working or erected position on the base and vice versa, and downwardly facing abutment or foot means on the under side of the base held normally out of contact with the floor surface by the guide means but movable into frictional contact with the fioor surface when such child is, for example, standing on the step means.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5 wherein the guide means comprises relatively superimposed pairs of guide channels on the base and cabinet structure, with cooperating pairs of rollers movable along respective channels, and stop means normally preventing detachment of the base from the cabinet structure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,658,225 11/1953 Bascom 3l2--235X 2,881,040 4/1959 Hartridge l82-35 X FOREIGN PATENTS 131,602 12/ 1900 Germany.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUNCT FOR CABINET TYPE LAVATORIES OR THE LIKE, WHEREIN A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY MOVABLE DRAWER OR BASE IN THE CABINET CONTAINS A STEP DEVICE ENABLING ACCESS TO NECESSARY PARTS ETC. BY CHILDREN TOO SHORT NORMALLY TO REACH THEM, AND WHEREIN THE STEP DEVICE INCLUDES A STEPSUPPORT MEMBER OR ASSEMBLY AND, PIVOTALLY ARTICULATED THEREWITH ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS, A STRUT MEMBER OR ASSEMBLY, ONE OF THE MEMBERS OR ASSEMBLIES BEING FIXEDLY PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO THE DRAWER OR BASE ADJACENT A BACK PORTION THEREOF AND THE OTHER MEMBER OR ASSEMBLY BEING PROPORTIONED DETACHABLY TO ABUT A FRONT WALL PORTION OF THE DRAWER OR BASE INCIDENT TO BEING SUBJECTED TO VERTICALLY APPLIED FORCES ON THE DEVICE WHEN ERECTED FOR USE AS DESCRIBED, THE STEP DEVICE BEING THEREBY ARRANGED TO BE FOLDED INTO A STOWED-AWAY POSITION FOR STORAGE WITHIN THE CABINET. 